Apparatus and method for forming a coil wire and welding it to support wires



E.v c. clcHosKl 2,856,968- APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR- FORMING A con. WIRE Oct. 21,v 1958 AND WELDING IT TO SUPPORT WIRES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 6. 1954 c. clcHoSKl THo FOR DING 1T To 2,856,968 coIL WIRE RES Oct. 21, 1958 E APPARATUS AND ME AND WEL Filed Dec. 6. 1954 FORMING A SUPPORT w1 2g Shgets-Sheet 2 nited States Patent O APPARATUS AND NIETHOD FOR FORMING A COIL WIRE AND WELDING IT T SUPPORT WIRES Edward C. Cichoski, Jersey City, N. J

Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,380

11 Claims. (Cl. 140-71.5)

This invention relates to a new and improved design of a grid structure suitable for various types of radio frequency devices wherein grids are utilized. Onefof the objects of my inventionis to provide a grid construction wherein the parts forming the grid are securely held in operative position. Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved type of grid construction which can be made, so' far Aas I am aware, in a better Y and less costly manner. Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing these grids wherein the various types and the process of manufacturing are opened for inspection whereby the operator can readily ascertain if the grid is being properly made. These and other objects will be clear to one skilled in this art from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus used in the manufacture of the grid.

Figure 2 is a view on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view on an enlarged scale on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 5 looking from the top end downwardly.

Figure 5 is a view on an enlarged scale of one of the grid units which may be utilized in radio tube construction.

Figure 6 is a view on an enlarged scale showing the 2,856,968 Patented Oct. 21, 1958 ICC a drive shaft, `fastened by studs or pins 22 to the insulator 19 which carries a guide bushing 23 for supporting and guiding a liney conductor wire 24 approximately .002 inch in diameter which is carried on a reel adapted to be operated by the power drive shaft 26. The reel 25 is carried in a support housing 27. The tubular member 21 which acts as a drive shaft is connected to the power shaft 26. The hollow drive shaft 21 is supported by a bearing stub 28. y

Carried by thehollow shaft 21 is a gear wheel 29 that is in mesh with a larger gear carried on the stub shaft 31 supported by bearing member 32 that is attached to beginning of the formation of the structure shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but in a forward step in the process of construction.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the parts in the final step of making one turn of the structure shown in Figure 5.

In the various views wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts, 1 is a support member on which are mounted various parts of the forming apparatus 4for making the grid construction. member 1 is a member 2 of suitable insulatingmaterial on the opposite sides of which spring bracket arms 3 `and 4 are fastened as by screw studs 5 and 6, a pair of which are fastened to the conductors 7 and 8. The member 1 Carried on the support L has slots 9 and lll therein to receive suitable holding screws 11 for the member 2 whereby the member 2 may be adjusted `along the slots 9 and l0 for the purpose which will be later pointed out. The arms 3 and 4 carry contact members 12 and 13 for engaging wireconductors 14 and 1S having a diameter of approximately .O30 inch as and for the purpose which will be directly pointed out. Fastened to the member 1 or made as an integral member is a part 16 extending upwardly which acts as a support and guide member for a tubular member 17 which is insulated by an insulator 1,8 from the member 16. One end of the tubular member 17 is preferably longitudinally -adjustably fastened to an insulator 19 in any satisfactory manner as by screws 20. Insulator19 also supports a tubular member 21 Vwhich actsas the bearing standard .28, whereby the gear 30 rotates at a lower speed than the gear 29'. The wheel 30 carries a cam 33 that is adapted to engage a pin 34 once per revolution of the wheel 30. The pin 34 has an insulator 41 on its inner end to engage a lever 35 pivotally supported on the stud 36, carried by an insulated support 37 that is fastened to the support member 38, mounted on the bearing standard 2,8. A tension spring 39 acts on the lever 35 to hold the contacts 40, controlling the power line P-40 normally closed until the pin or stud 34 is engaged by the cam 33 on the wheel 30 whenthe wheel 30 is turned a revolution. If two cams 33 are used, they are. spaced on the wheel 30 for the purpose to be later referred.

Carried by the member 16 is a pair of flexible contacts 45 and 46 having conductors 47 and 48 connected thereto both of which are connected to a power line P. The other power line P is connected to the stationary member of contact 40, and the two lines are connected to a suitable source of welding current. Contacts 45 and 46 engage contact brushes 49 and 50, these brushes being carried in holders 51 and 52 that are carried by the member 16 but are insulated therefrom as are the contact members 45 and 46.

From. Figure Zit will be seen that the brushes 49 and 50 engage the met-allie tubular member 17 through which passes the wire conductor 24, which has an exit at` E whereby as the wire 24 is fed from the reel 25 it is wound up in a coil C to be explained.

It will be understood that the leading end of the wire 24 must be held against movement before the winding is started, for example, by securing it to one of the wires 14, 15, and thereafter the member 17 will pull the wire 24 longitudinally through said member and wind it helically with the member 17 turning freely inside the helical coil.

Carried by a pair of support studs 53 and 54 is a pair of spools 55 and 56 which have wires 14 and 15 extending therefrom and extending through holes in the member 16 and into arcuately formed recesses 59 vand 60 in the contact Ibrush members 12 and 13. The wires 14 and 15 may be longitudinally moved by suitable means connected to the drive shaft 26 but not shown in the drawing or they may -be initially operated manually by a handle 61 `fastened to the extreme ends of the wires 14 and 15. After the wires 14 and 15 become welded to the turns of the coil Cas hereafter described they will be continuously. drawn off the spools 55 and 56, and the coil turns will be pulled off the end of the member 17, the spacing of the turns from each other depending upon the relative speeds of movement ofk the member 17 and the wires 14, 15.

It may be noted that in Figure 6 the grid wire 24 is shown as just coming out of the exit hole E in the tubular member 17. As this member turns in the direction of the small arrow the tubular member 17 has turned to 49 and 50 onto the woundl up coil ofthe conductor 24 which is in engagement with the wire 15 that is in contactwith the circuit brush 13 and thence through switch 40 which is closed, so that welding current passes from the conductor 24 to the brush 13 by way of the contact wire 15 which will be such as to malte a weld between the wire 15 and the wire 24. As the 'rotation of the member 17 continues the circuit just described with respect to Figure 7 may be opened V-at the contacts y62 by means of a relatively narrow pin 63 iusulatin'igly carried by the shaft member 21 which engages the lever 64 causing it to open the contact 62 so that `no vundue 'current may be applied at the welding pointindicated in Figure 7, but as the member 17 turns approximately 180 it establishes a circuit through the Ycontacts 62iand the contact 40 that is still closed whereby the circuit is completed through thebrush 12 and the wire 14 to produce a weld 180 from the weldproduced in Figure 7. 1t will be noted that the brushes 12 and 13 are connected by connectors 7 and S to a conductor 40 to carry current to conductor 43 via the contacts 62 which are closed for a relatively short interval. These contacts are used to govern` the periods of time that welding is carried on between the turns of coil Cv and the wires 14 and 15. This control seems necessary because of the small diameter of the wire 24. It is also to be noted that the insulating holder for the pin 63'isslidably adjustable on the shaft 17 whereby it may be moved by a set screw to a point where the contact 62 will stay closed. It will be seen from the foregoing that the turns of the fine wire 24 are anchored every 180 to theiwii'es `14 and 15.

The gear 30 and cam 33 maybe formed to cut off the welding current at switch 40 atpredetermined intervals during the formation Vof a predeterminednumber of turns of the wire 24 to facilitate the formation of the units or grids which may be'separated by cutting the wires 14 and 15. In the operation of the machine and method, several turns at each end of the boil, `from Ithepoint b to the point d as shown in dotted lines, are not welded to the wires 14 and 15 sothat the turn at the point b may be cut oii:` and the turns from b to d moved out of the position shown, thereby leaving` one 'type of a grid unit having conductors with the wires`r1'4` and 15 free at both ends of the coil C. As shown in Figure the unit is composed of coil turns AVCweldedfto the vwiresi14 and 15 between the points aan-db leavingbared ends from the point a out to the ends ofthe wiresp'd'and `15. It is obvious that the grid unit may 'be triade in any. desired length both vas regardsl to the wires I1'4 andv1'5 and the turns forming the coil C.

It is obvious that many of the details may be varied without departing from the lspirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An apparatus for making'grids forI radio tubes, cornprising a tube having two sections joined' by a suitable tubular insulator with means for rotating said tube and means for feeding through said tube a small diameter wire of suitable material to vrnal'relsaid grids, said tube having a hole through the wall thereof in spaced relation to one end for feeding said wire out of the tube whereby the wire can be closely wound around the said tubebetween said tube and saidend into a helicalfcoiLa pair of rotatable spools positioned on opposite sides of said tube and each spool for carryingwire of Asuitable metal and of considerable larger diameter than threiwire going through said tube, means to guide said larger diameter wires longitudinally on 'oppositesidesof said tube and exteriorly -of said coil withv cuirent carrying ,brushes positioned to press said larger liar'-neterlongitudinally extending wires against the convolutions )of said [wire coil on said revolving tube and, current carrying brushes in contact with said rotating tube end from which said small diameter wire passes and means for carrying Current through all of said brushes as and for the purpose described.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim l further defined in that the two sections of tube are preferably of different exterior diameter, the section of smaller diameter being connected to the rotatingmeans, the two sections having a guide bushing associated with the said tubular insulator.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim l with the addition of means for adjusting said iirst mentioned brushes simultaneously longitudinally with respect to said rotatable tube.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim l further dcned in that saidiirst mentioned brushes have arcuately formed faces to t closely into contact with the said wires of larger diameter whereby these wires are pressed into welding engagement with the liner wires on the revolving tube. Y

5. An apparatus .as set forth in claim l "further defined in that said first mentioned brushes have arcuately formed faces to fit closely into contact with` the said wires of larger diameter whereby these wires are pressed into welding engagement with the ner wires on 'the revolving tube and with the addition of means for opening the circuit through said brushes at selected intervals as andifor the purpose described.

6. An apparatusrfor making grids for radio tubes, comprising a tube with means for rotating it, means for feeding through said tube a small diameter wire of suitable material to make said grids, said tube having a transverse hole through the wall thereof a short distance from one end, for feeding said wire out of the tube so the wire can be wound around the said tube end -as the tube is turned to form an helical coil, a pair of rotatable spools located on opposite sides of said tube and each spool for carrying wireof suitable metal and of considerably larger diameter than the wire coming out of said tube, means guiding said larger wires longitudinally on opposite sides of said tube in spacedrelation thereto and outside said coil, current carrying brushesy positioned on said last mentioned wires to press'them'into engagement with the wire coils on the revolving tubeand current carrying brushes in contact with said tube en d from which the smali wire is extended into coil turns, and means for conveying current to all of said brushes as and for the purposes described. u

7. An apparatus as setforth in claim 6 further defined in that means are provided for automatically opening the electrical circuit at least at vonep'oint through said brushes for a predetermined time interval for the purpose described.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further defined in that means are provided for regulating:v the time the current from said brushes is flowing in contact'with the'wires moving onl the extremity of the revolving tube.

9. The methodof making grids for radio type tubes which consists in continuously winding suitable tine wire in closely related turns to forman helical coil and simultaneously continuously feeding a pair of larger `diameter wire of suitable material longitudinally, one each on diametrically opposite sides of said tine wire coil and outside thereof and welding the said turns of the coil to the said pair of larger wires.

10. The method of making grids as set forth in claim 9 further defined in that after the welding is made for a predetermined number of coil turns, the welding is stopped for a predetermined space for the purpose described and then automatically started again. Y

11. Apparatus for forming a coil of fine wire 'and welding it to parallel support wires, comprising means for helically winding a line wire into a helical'coiL'meahs for simultaneously longitudinally moving'a plurality'of support wires into contact with the convolutions of 'said coil exteriorly of the coil, and means for welding suc- 5 cessive convolutions of said coil to said support wires, the 'rst-named means including a cylindrical conducting member having a longitudinal passage therethrough for said line wire and a lateral passage to lead said ne wire from said longitudinal passage to the surface of said cylindrical member and means for rotating said cylindrical member to helically coil said ne wire on said cylindrical member, and the last-named means including an electrode at each of opposite sides of said conducting member in spaced relation thereto and having a guide groove for one of said support wires, and means connecting said electrodes and said cylindrical member in a welding circuit, and the second-named means acting to longitudinally move each of said support wires through one of 6 said grooves and between one of said electrodes and said coil with each support wire in contact with the corresponding electrode and with the convolutions of` said coil exteriorly of the coil.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,198,351 Heany Sept. 12, 1916 t 1,365,015 Zwicker Jan. 11, 1921 1,694,081 Reed 2 Dec. 4, 1928 1,976,522 Rose Oct. 9, 1934 1,999,654 Cobb Apr. 30, 1935 2,181,288 Washburn Nov. 28, 1939 2,272,869 Herzog Feb. 10, 1942 

